Life and Beer When It May Be a Rural Inn, Gastro-Pub Whether a Thatched Local in the Middle Times This May Be More Contentious
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This supplement is an independent publication from Raconteur Media twitter.com/raconteurmedia June 30, 2010 BEST OF BEER Beer has its own culture, its quirks still survive. And many thrive, though it The days of grimy and darkened public and peculiarities, its slang and slogans. would be foolish to ignore the fact that houses, where the only woman to see was We drink beer in the pub, though we some also struggle. The vast majority of the barmaid, are receding into memory. may also call it the local or the boozer, them remain hubs of their community, Families are also welcome, though some- Life and beer when it may be a rural inn, gastro-pub whether a thatched local in the middle times this may be more contentious. and even a theme bar. Tradition decrees of the countryside or a corner house on Beers change as well: golden ales, with CULTURE Beer is an important part of many lives, not that a “pint of the best” is the lingua the edge of town where quizzes, darts ripe fruit and a sprightly bite, attract both franca. Handle or straight, jug or sleeve, and the odd music night liven things up. sexes, while the range of lagers available is just its thirst-quenching taste but as a social glue half, pint or third: we get a choice of This is the place where beer is drunk enough to suit any palate. binding together communities centred on the local glass and of how much beer we want. in company and in moderation, with And if a beer at home attracts instead, Your shout, my round, in the chair. friends and strangers all getting on. in the garden after grass-cutting or curled pub. Adrian Tierney-Jones reports Even though Lloyd George did his The British pub is also at the cor- up in an armchair with book in hand, best to vanquish the round during nerstone of our democracy, the place then there is a marvellous range of beers World War 1 for fear that drinking where dustman and duke, banker and to choose from. There are hundreds of eer runs through our daily nature of beer when he allowed his team was interfering with the war effort – barrow-boy can meet on equal terms. breweries, of all shapes and sizes, pump- lives with the cast-iron cer- a glass the night before they won their though, given the ferocity of the times, It is not for nothing that one of ing out bitters, golden ales, milds, stouts, tainty of a river making its World Cup game against Slovenia. How- a beer was a necessary tonic – it still the first things many of our serv- porters, India Pale Ales and beers fla- way to the sea. Celebrations, a ever, the England footballers must have remains as a constant thread looping ing men and women do on coming voured with chocolate, coffee and spices. Bwinning goal, a new job all call for a glass been suffering a hangover during their through our beer culture. It is a re- home is pop down the pub: stand Whether it is the rich seam of real of the freshest beer to toast success. Com- subsequent heavy defeat to Germany. minder of the sociability and neigh- them a beer for they are heroes. ale to be found at the multitude of miserations, a dropped catch, being on But beer is no longer the almost ex- bourliness of popping down the pub. The pub has also changed in many Anchors, King’s Heads, Brewery the losing side, then take a glass of ale to clusive domain of men. Increasingly Pubs may be under the hammer with ways. Once the preserve of men, an all- Taps or Royal Oaks, or something contemplate how to do better next time. women are tuning in, not only to foot- newspaper headlines pointing the finger male club – though women could or- interesting and innovative at home, Even though he hails from the land of ball, cricket and other traditionally at binge drinkers and organisations is- der a port and lemon in the snug – the our nation’s drink echoes the words wine, England’s manager Fabio Capello male-dominated pastimes, but also to suing dire forecasts for the future of this past few decades have seen pubs mir- of an old Brewers’ Society poster knew all about the restorative and relaxing taking a glass of beer. uniquely British institution, but they ror society in becoming more inclusive. from the 1950s: Beer is best. This publication is sponsored by BEST OF BEER 3 INSIDE 4 Beer’s natural alchemy What goes into the perfect pint and Cheers for thriller beers how is it made? 5 History of beer STYLES Know your lagers, ales, stouts and porters nically an ale. While ale is much been aged to give a whole truckload The builders of Stonehenge would smaller than lager, there is much of flavour complexity; no one says to open up a whole new array of tastes. Expert more diversity within it. you have to drink the stuff in pints undoubtedly have enjoyed beer after Pete Brown runs through the many different and these can rival sherry or port as a hard day’s toil HERE IS A ROUGH an after-dinner digestif styles of beer which are waiting to be discovered RUNDOWN: Wheat beer – substituting some 6 Gastronomic delights Pale ale – does what it says, cover- of the barley for wheat gives a Chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Rick ing a broad range from light sum- blonde (usually) naturally hazy Stein have designed beers for dishes he late, great Michael hear people talking about “beers mer ales that are almost the same beer; often has spices added and Jackson (not the singer, and lagers”, but lager is beer, just colour as lager, but with a bit more ranges from banoffee to Asian- 8 World Cup cheers the other one, who in- like ale.) The technical difference personality, through to heady, aro- style lemongrass and lime notes vented modern beer writ- between the two is all about the matic India Pale Ales in its delivery A league table of the biggest Ting) had a routine when people type of yeast they use and how Bitter – the workhorse of the ale Fruit beer – a good cherry or drinkers and the best beers for told him they “didn’t like” beer. long they take to brew. world, usually mid-brown, mod- raspberry beer is a long way from watching football He would adopt an expression of Lager accounts for 90 per erate strength, it is all about the a syrupy alcopop; the sweetness shocked concern and say, “What, cent of the beer in the world. perfect balance of citrus or floral balances with tartness from real 10 Women and beer none of them? How many did you Golden pilsner lager was created aromas, caramel and biscuit on the fruit for a wonderfully refreshing More and more women are turning try before you gave up?” in Czechoslovakia in 1842 and palate, with a dry finish summer beer on to a glass of something special 12 Business of beer Lining up to please the Pubs and breweries can survive the palate slump 13 Crafty and micro Britain is part of a global revolution in craft brewing as real ale is cool again 13 Pulling a pint Good beer needs careful handling from cellar to seller 14 Celebrity landlords Stars running pubs come out to cheer the punters 15 Shape of beer to come Quality not quantity may be the future in the crystal ball of brewing Editor Peter Archer Contributors Peter Archer, Richard Brass, Pete Brown, Kamini Dickie, Stephanie Hirschmiller, Nick Louth, Ben MacFarland, Adrian Tierney-Jones Publisher Henrik Kanekrans © beergenie.co.uk Production manager Fabiana Abreu If you thought beer was a sim- a good one is rather wonder- ple choice between cold, fizzy la- ful: pale and refreshing and best If you thought beer was a simple Design ger and warm, flat real ale – oh served chilled, but with a spicy, Hervé Boinay yeah, with the odd pint of Guin- grassy aroma, a gentle sweetness choice between cold, fizzy lager ness – then you are in for a bit of on the palate and a buzzy dryness Published in association with a shock. What Michael was get- at the finish. It spread rapidly to and warm, flat real ale, then you are ting at is that there are myriad become the world’s favourite beer. For more information about Raconteur Media different styles of beer around But it takes time to brew well; la- in for a bit of a shock publications in The Times and The Sunday the world, with large groups, ger comes from the German word Times, please contact Freddie Ossberg sun-genres, hybrids and con- for “store” and the beer should be T: 020 7033 2100 E: [email protected] stant mutations. cellared for four weeks. Porter and stout – a richer, darker Strong Belgian beer styles – Dub- W: www.raconteurmedia.co.uk The judges at the Great Ameri- As well as pilsners there are dark roasting of the malt (beer’s main build- bels, Tripels, Abbey beers and Trap- twitter.com/raconteurmedia can Beer Festival divide beers into lagers, Viennese red lagers and pale ing block) leads to fuller chocolaty, cof- pist beers; some are like English over seventy different categories. German-style lagers that are drier fee, sometimes even vinous flavours barley wines, others are like noth- The information contained in this publication Obviously they are insane, but than pilsner.